Pipe-coupling.



No. 782,098. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. O. B. ANDERSON.

PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wrmwd No. 782,098. PATENTBD FEB. 7, 1905. O. B. ANDERSON.

PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION mum 00w. 28,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented February '7, 1905.

ATENT FFICE.

PIPE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,098, dated February 7, 1905.

Application filed October 28, 1904. Serial No. 230,352.

Be it known that I, Osoau E. Axoensox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to pipe-couplings, and more particularly to couplings for air-brakepipes. and has for its object to provide an automatic coupling which will be. simple and cheap as well as efficient.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, and it will be understood that modifications of the specih'c construction shown may be made and any suitable materials may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figurel is a side elevation of the present form of coupler, illustrating it applied to a railway-train. Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the members. Fig. 3 is an end view of the opposite member. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the present coupler comprises two castings 5 and t3, having flanges T, by means of which they are attached to the under sides of car-platforms. Each of the castings has a central longitudiual passage s extending from end toend thereof, these passages being circular in cross-section, and the castings are disposed with their passages extending longitudinally of the cars to which they are attached. The outer end portions of the passages 8 are'enlarged, as shown at 9, to form shoulders 10, and disposed in these enlarged portions are hollow cylindrical members 11. which are open at their forward ends 12 and which have reduced stems 13 extending into the unenlarged portions of the passages 8. The length of the cylindrical members 11 is less than that of the enlarged portions 9 of the passages, and engaged with the stems 13 between the shoulders 10 and the inner faces of the members 11 are helical springs I4, the action of which is to hold the members 11 yieldably in spaced relation to the shoulders 10. The stems 13 are provided with longitudinal passagesli'l, which communicate with the interiors of the members 11.

Disposed within each of the members II and projecting beyond the outer open ends thereof is a block 15, these two blocks being provided with layers of rubber or similar material 16 at their outer ends and having central longitudinal passages 17 registering with the passages 13', the passages IT being somewhat smaller than the passages 13, as shown. The block of the casting 5 is pivoted in the adjacent member 11 for lateral horizontal movement, and the block of the casting (l is similarly pivoted for vertical movement. The blocks 15 are provided with interior threads 18 at their inner ends, and with these threads are engaged threaded nipples It), carried by the ends of flexible pipes 20,which pass outwardly through the inner ends of the passages S and are connected with the air-line of the brake system. It will of course be understood that the castings of two cars are so disposed that when the cars are coupled the outer ends of the blocks 15 will come into engagement with each other, the layers 16 forming an air-tight joint, and the arrangement is such that the springs I4 are somewhat compressed when the cars are coupled, so that they exert their energy to maintain the two layers It) in frictional engagemei'it with each other. By reason of the opposite pivoting of the blocks I?) the cars, and therewith the two sections of the coupler, may move both vertically and horizontally with respect to each other withoutdestroying the union of the blocks 15.

\Vhat is claimed is l. A coupling of the class described comprising two castings having passages therethrough, members slidably disposed in the passages, means for holding the members yieldably at the outward limits of their movements, blocks pivoted in the members for lateral movement in opposite directions, said blocks being provided with longitudinal passages, means for conducting air to the passages of the blocks, said blocks being arranged for mutual engagement of their outer ends and for registration of their passages.

' 2. The combination with railroad-cars provided with coupling means, of an air-pipe coupling therefor, said coupling comprising two castings attached to the meeting ends of the cars, said castings having longitudinal horizontal passages therethrough, said passages being enlarged at their outer ends, hollow members slidably disposed in the enlarged portions of the passages and having hollow stems extending into the unenlarged portions of the passages, springs disposed between the ends of the enlarged portions of the passages and the inner faces of the members to hold the latter yieldably spaced from said ends of the enlarged portions, blocks pivoted in the hollow members and extending beyond the outer ends thereof, said blocks having longitudinal passages therethrough communieating with the interior of the stems, said blocks being arranged for lateral movement in opposite directions, resilient layers secured to the outer ends of the blocks, and flexible air-pipes connected with the passages of the blocks and lying within the stems and the passages of the castings, said blocks being arranged for mutual engagement of their resilient layers and for movement of the members against the action of the springs when the cars are coupled.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR E. ANDERSON.

l/Vitnesses:

l/VILLIAM A. MOREHEAD, CLAUs J. HAGVELIN. 

